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Show In the Days of Poor Richard ... decorum in the high courts of Britain, laughed nt the cleverness of the assault. That was the speech of which Charles James Fox declared that it was the most expensive bit of oratory which had been heard in England, Eng-land, since it had cost the kingdom its colonies. It was alleged that In some manner Franklin had stolen the letters and violated their sacred privacy. It Is known now that an English nobleman had put them In his' hands to read and that he was in no way responsible for their publication. The truth, if It could have been told, would have bent the proud heads of Wedderburn and the judges to whom he appealed, in confusion. J3ut Franklin held his peace, as a man of honor was bound to do. He stood erect and dignified with a face like one carved in wood. The counsel for the colonies made a weak defense. The triumph was complete. The venerable man was convicted of conduct Inconsistent with the character of a gentleman and ae-prlveo ae-prlveo of his office as postmaster general of the colonies. But tie had two friends in court They were the Lady Hare and her daughter. They followed him out of the chamber. In the great hallway, Margaret, her eyes wet with tears, embraced em-braced and kissed the philosopher. "I want you to know that I am your friend and that I love America," she said. "My daughter, It has been a hard hour, but I am sixty-eight years old and have learned many things," he answered. "Time Is the only avenger I need. It will lay the dust." The girl embraced and kissed him again and said In a voice shaking with emotion : "I wish my father and all Englishmen English-men to know that I am your friend and that I have a love that cannot be turned aside or destroyed and that I will have my right as a human being." "Come let us go and talk together we three," he proposed. They took a cab and drove away. "You will think all this a singular proceeding," Lady Hare remarked. "I must tell you that rebellion has now and then. They have to b forC given and allowed a chance to repent una Improve their conduct. Tour father fa-ther Is a good man. Try to win him to your cause." "And die a maiden," said the girl with a sigh. "Impossible I" Franklin exclaimed. "I shall marry Jack or never marry. I would rather be his wife than the queen of England." "This Is surely the age of romance," said the smiling philosopher as the ladies alighted at their door. "I wish I were young again." CHAPTEP XUI The Ferment. On his voyage to New York, Jack wrote long letters to Margaret and to Doctor Franklin, which were deposited in the post office on his arrival, the tenth of March. He observed a great change in the spirit of the people. They were no longer content with words. The ferment was showing itself in acts of open and violent disorder. The statue of George HI, near the battery, was treated to a volley of decayed de-cayed eggs, in the evening of his arrival. ar-rival. This hot blood was due to the effort to prevent free speech in the colonies and the proposal to send political prisoners to England for trial. Jack took the first boat to Albany and found Solomon working on the Irons farm. In his diary he tells ot the delightful days of rest he enjoyed with his family. Solomon had told them of the great adventure but Jack would have little to say of it, having no pride In that achievement. Soon the scout left on a mission for the committee of safety to distant settlements set-tlements In the great north bush. "I'll be spendin' the hull moon in the wilderness," he said to Jack. "Goin' to VIrginny when I get back, an' I'll look fer ye on the way down." Jack set out for Philadelphia the day after Solomon left. He stopped at Kinderhook on his way down, the river and addressed its people on conditions in England. A young Tory Interrupted his remarks. At the barbecue, which followed, this young man was seized and punished by a number of stalwart girls who removed his collar and Jacket Jack-et by force and covered his head and neck with molasses and the fuzz of cat tails. Jack Interceded for tha Tory and stopped the proceeding. "My friends, we must control our anger," he said. "Let us not try to subdue tyranny by using It ourselves." Everywhere he found the people In such a temper that Tories had to hold their peace or suffer punishment. At the office he learned that his most important letters had failed to pass tha hidden censorship of mail In England. He began, at once, to write a series of articles which hastened the crisis. The first of them was a talk with Franklin, which told how his mall had been tampered with ; that no letter had come to his hand through the post office which had not been opened with apparent indifference as to the evidence evi-dence of Its violation. The Doctor's words regarding free speech In America Amer-ica and the proposal to try the bolder critics for treason were read and discussed dis-cussed in every household from the sea to the mountains and from Maine to Florida. The young man's work had set the bells ringing and they were the bells of revolt. The arrival of General Gage at Boston in May, to be civil governor and commander-in-chief for the continent, conti-nent, and the blockade of the port twenty days later, compelling its population pop-ulation who had been fed by the sea By IRVING BACHELLER Copyright br Irving Bldiellec CHAPTER XI Continued. 12 He saw the plan now a.n admirable plan. They were to meet near the port of sailing and be married and go aboard the ship and away. It was the plan of Margaret and much better than any he could have made, for he knew little of London and its ports. "Should I not take my baggage with me?" "There Is not time for that," the relied lady answered. "We must make haste. I have some clothes for you In a bag." She pointed to a leathern case un-Cer un-Cer the front seat. From that time forward they rode . In a silence broken only by the creaking creak-ing of the coach and the sound of the horses' hoofs. Darkness had fallen v when they reached the little city of Gravesend. The Ship and Anchor stood by the water's edge. "You will please wait here," said the stern lady In a milder voice than she had used before, as the coach drew up at the inn door, "I shall see tf she has come." His strange companion entered the Inn and returned presently, saying: "She has not yet arrived. Delayed ty the fog. We will have our dinner, If you please." From this point the scene at the mn is described In the diary of the American. "She drew off her hat and veil and a young woman about twenty-eight years of age and of astonishing beauty stood before me." " 'There, now, I am out of business,' ehe remarked In a pleasant voice as she sat down at the table which had been spread before the fireplace. 'I will do my best to be a companion to you until Margaret arrives.' "She looked into my eyes and smiled. Her sheath of Ice had fallen from her. "The waiter came with a tray containing con-taining soup, glasses and a bottle of sherry. We sat down at the table and our waiter filled two glasses with the sherry. "'Thank yon, but self-denial Is another an-other duty of mine,' she remarked when I offered her a glass of the wine. 1 live in a tipsy world and drink water. I live in a merry world and keep a stern face. It is a vile world and yet I am unpolluted.' "I drank my glass of wine and had begun to eat my soup when a strange feeling came over me. My plate seemed to be sinking through the table. The wall and fireplace were receding into dim distance. I knew then that I had tasted the cup of- Circe. My hands fell through my lap and suddenly sud-denly the day ended. It was 'like sawing off a board. The end had fallen. There Is nothing more to be said of It because my brain had ceased to receive re-ceive and record Impressions. I was as totally out of business as a man In his grave. When I came to, I was in a berth on the ship King William bound for New York. As soon as I knew anything, I knew that I had been tricked. My clothes had been removed and were lying on a chair near me. My watch and money were undisturbed. I had a severe pain In my head. I dressed and went up on deck. The captain was there. to starve or subsist on the bounty of others, drove the most conservative citizens into the open. Parties went out Tory hunting. Every suspected man was compelled to declare himself and if incorrigible, was sent away. Town meetings were held even under the eyes of the king's soldiers and no tribunal was allowed to sit In any court house. At Salem, a meeting wai held behind locked doors with the governor gov-ernor and his secretary shouting a proclamation through its keyhole, declaring de-claring it to be dissolved. The meeting meet-ing proceeded to Its end. and when th citizens filed out, they had Invited th thirteen colonies to a general congresi In Philadelphia. It was Solomon Blnkus who conveyed con-veyed the invitation to Pennsylvania and Virginia. He had gone on a second sec-ond mission to Springfield and Boston and had been In the meeting at Salem with General Ward. Another man carried car-ried that historic call to the colonies farther south. In fivp weeks, delegates were chosen, and early In August, they were traveling on many different roada toward the Quaker city. Crowds gathered gath-ered In everj town and village they passed. Solomon, who rode with the Virginia delegation, told Jack that he hadn't heard so much noise since the Injun war. "They was poundln' the bells, an' shootln' cannons everywhere." he declared. de-clared. "Men, women and children crowW 'round us an' split their lungs yelPr'. Tiwy's a streak o' sore throats all the way from Alexandry to here," (TO BE CONTIN'.'D.) "You must have had a night of it In Gravesend," he said. "You were" like n dead man when they brought you abroad." " 'Where am I going?' I asked. "'To New York,' he answered with a laugh. 'Y'ou must have had a time !' "How much Is the fare?" ' " 'Young man, that need not concern you,' said the captain. 'Y'our fare has been paid In full. I saw them put a letter In your pocket. Have you read itr Jack found the letter and read : "Dear Sir When you see this you will be well out of danger and, it Is hoped, none the worse for your dissipation. dis-sipation. This from one who admires your skill and courage and who advises ad-vises you to keep out of England for at least a year. "A WELL WISHER." He looked back over the stern of the ship. The shore had fallen out of a'.ght. The sky was clear. The sun shining. The wind was blowing from the east. He stood for a long time looking toward the land he had left. "Oh, ye wings of the wind ! take my love to her and give her news of me and bid her to be steadfast In her faith and hope," he whispered. CHAPTER XII The Girl He Left Behind Him. After Jack had been whirled out of London, Franklin called st his lodgings lodg-ings and learned that he had not been seen for a day. The wise philosopher entertained no doubt that the young mim hnd taken ship agreeably with the advice given him. A report had been running through the clubs of London that Lionel Clarke had succumbed. suc-cumbed. In fact he had had a bad turn, but had rallied. Jack must have heard the false report und taken ship uddenly. Doctor Franklin went that day to the meeting of the privy council. wMther he had been sternly summoned sum-moned for examination in the matter of the letters of Hutchinson et al. For an hour he had stood unmoved while Alexander Wedderburn, the wittiest wit-tiest barrister 'n the kingdom, poured upon htm a torrent of abuse. Even the iudgei. against all traditions of I started in our home. Its peace is quite destroyed. Margaret has declared de-clared her right to the use of her own mind." "Well, if she Is to use any mind It will have to he that one," Franklin answered. "I do not see why women should not be entitled to use their minds as well as their hands and feet." "I was kept at home yesterday by force," said Margaret. "Every door locked and guarded! It was .brutal tyranny." "The poor child has my sympathy, hut what can I do?" Lady Hare Inquired. In-quired. "Being an American, you can expect but one answer from me." said the philosopher. "To us tyranny In home or state Is Intolerable. They tried It on me when I was a boy and I ran away." "That Is what I shall do If necessary," neces-sary," said Margaret. "Oh, my child ! How would you live?" her mother asked. "I will answer that question for her. if you will let me." said Franklin "If she needs It. she shall have an allowance out of my purse." "Thank you. but that would raise a scandal." said the woman. "Oh, your ladyship, I am old enough to be her grandfather." "I wish to go with Jack. If you know where he is." Margaret declared, looking look-ing up into the face of the philosopher. "I think he Is pushing toward America." Amer-ica." Franklin answered. "Being alarmed at the condition of his adversary, ad-versary, I advised him to slip away. A ship went yesterday. Probably he's on It. He had no chance to see me or pick up bis baggage." "I shall follow him soon," the girl declared. "If you will only contain yourself, you will get along with your father very well." said Lady Hare. "1 know him better than you. He has promised prom-ised to take you to America In December. Decem-ber. You must wait and he patient. After all, your father has a large claim upon you." "I think you will do well to wait, my child," said the philosopher. "Jack will keep and you are hoth young. Fathers are like other children. The. make mistakes they even do wronir i |